Arjun opened his eyes to a sight he had begun to believe was a myth: a clean, white ceiling.
For a few seconds, he simply lay there, blinking. The absence of red sand, the lack of the copper stench of blood, and the silence of a room that wasn't filled with the screams of the dying felt like a physical weight being lifted off his chest. He was finally glad to see multiple colors again; he never realized how much he had missed the simple spectrum of a domestic room until he had spent an eternity in a monochromatic hell.
He turned his head slowly. A man in light tactical gear was stretching near the window, his silhouette framed by the soft morning light of the Waking World. He was an Awakened of the Song Clan, tasked with guarding him
The man noticed Arjun moving and broke into a grin. "Congratulations, Sleeper Arjun. You survived your first Nightmare."
Arjun sat up, his muscles feeling strangely fluid and dense. "How long?"
"A week," the guard replied. "I'm Evans, by the way. And I've got to say, the Spell gave you quite the makeover. Most people just get a bit taller or clearer skin, but you? Lucky dude."
Arjun frowned, touching his face. His skin felt like silk, and his hair felt... different. "Makeover?"
Evans chuckled, gesturing toward the bathroom. "See for yourself. Go get a bath. A government official is already on his way to process your status."
******
Arjun stepped into the bathroom and stopped dead in front of the mirror.
Steam rose from the automated shower, but the reflection stayed clear. He stared at a stranger. His once-dark hair had turned a shimmering, ethereal silver, and his eyes had shifted to a piercing, crystalline blue. He looked like a carbon copy of Gojo Satoru.
Wow, Arjun thought, leaning in to inspect the sharp, aristocratic lines of his new jawline. I got a serious makeover. Is this because of the 'Heavenly Demon' name? Or the 'Eternal River' aspect? As the hot water hit his back, washing away the imaginary grit of the Nightmare Desert, Arjun's mind began to churn. He had a choice to make. The Song Clan would provide him with everything he needed, but he felt a pull toward the Academy.
The Academy offered one distinct advantage: familiarity. He could meet the players who would shape the coming Winter Solstice. Specifically, he needed to find Julius. The man's knowledge of history and the Spell was unparalleled, and he had been one of Arjun's favorite characters in the stories he read
I could learn on my own within the Clan, Arjun mused, shutting off the water. But if I want to derail the coming tragedies, I need to be where the center of gravity is. I'm going to the Academy.
****
After dressing in a simple black tunic provided by the staff, Arjun met the government official waiting in the lounge. The man looked tired, his suit wrinkled from a long day of processing traumatized teenagers.
"Hi, I'm Awakened David," the man said, offering a curt nod. "You know the protocol. As per the central government's instructions, would you like to undergo psychological counseling? You've been through a high-intensity trial. Sharing your experience might help stabilize your Soul Sea."
Arjun didn't even hesitate. "No. I'm good."
David sighed, scribbling something on a digital tablet. "They always say that. So... how was it? The desert?"
Arjun's mind flashed back to the Vile Thieving Bird, the acid eating his leg, and the hollow sockets of his eyes. "It was the worst," he said, his voice flat. "I'm honestly wondering how I survived in the first place."
Luck, Arjun thought. Stupid, blind luck. If he hadn't seen the Bird from a distance first, if he hadn't found that specific lake to hide in, he would be a pile of sun-bleached bones right now.
"Well, you did survive," David said, standing up. "Are you willing to enroll in the Academy for formal training?"
"Yeah," Arjun replied. "I'm willing."
*****
The Academy was exactly as the legends described: a monolithic fortress of education designed to turn frightened children into the vanguard of humanity.
As Arjun stepped through the main hall, the noise hit him like a physical blow. Hundreds of Sleepers were chatting loudly, their voices echoing off the marble walls. Arjun looked around, feeling like an ancient ghost among them. They are so young, he realized. Most of them haven't smelled death yet.
As he walked through the crowd, his new appearance drew eyes like a magnet. The silver hair and piercing blue eyes made him look like a young god among mortals. He simply offered a faint, polite smile, his mind racing. How hard can this be? I have the knowledge of two lives. I can answer anything these instructors throw at me.
"I want to be like the Changing Star, you know? She's the ultimate goal."
"Dream on. You're lucky you were infected now, or Lady Nephis would have whopped your ass just for looking at her."
Arjun's eye twitched.
"Gods, I love Effie," another boy whispered to his friend. "I want a girlfriend like her. Strong... and... well, you know."
Arjun felt another twitch. 'Dude, your lust is acting up'
"I just want to have a friend like Song of the Fallen I can trust in there," a girl said nearby.
Arjun looked at her for a split second. 'No, you don't.'
As he moved deeper into the hall, he noticed the subtle comparisons being whispered. Because of his age and his striking appearance, people were already trying to measure him against the greats.
Suddenly, a loud clashing noise erupted near the west corridor. Arjun saw a crowd gathering and decided to intervene.
A girl with jet-black hair was shouting at another girl with auburn hair. "You! How dare you speak about her like that?"
The auburn-haired girl didn't back down. "If you can't accept the truth, that's your problem. I'm not going to sugarcoat a monster."
The black-haired girl lunged forward, her face flushed with rage. "If the Changing Star murdered someone, they must have been ultimate evil! She's a hero!"
The auburn-haired girl opened her mouth to snap back, her hands trembling with suppressed fury. Before the argument could turn into a brawl, Arjun stepped between them. He grabbed the auburn-haired girl by the arm and firmly guided her toward a quiet corner, ignoring the indignant shouts of the crowd.
"Let go of me!" she hissed once they were in the shadows of a stone pillar.
"Calm down," Arjun said, his voice cold and steady. It had the effect of a bucket of ice water. She stopped struggling and looked at him, her chest heaving. "What is your name? And what did you say to trigger that girl?"
She glared at him, but the intensity of his blue eyes seemed to cow her. "I'm Diana. And I told her the truth. I told her the Changing Star is a murderer."
Arjun was stunned.. "Okay. What makes you think that? Why that word?"
Diana looked at him, her eyes brimming with a sudden, sharp grief that Arjun recognized all too well.
"She killed my father," she whispered.
Arjun felt the world tilt slightly. "Who was your father, Diana?"
She gripped her sleeves, her voice trembling. "Saint Direfang."